First Impressions
by bandgeek18
Summary: pre-season. Upscale parties are boring. Fact. Lex Luthor is a jerk. Fact. Rich wards need to stick together? Fact. One-shot.


Disclaimer: I don't own Young Justice.

A/N: So, I'm new to writing stories for this show, but I've got lot's of ideas. So here it goes!

The fancy clothes and gentle harp music were grating on Roy's nerves. He scowled and fidgeted with his bow tie. He heard chuckling and someone put an arm around him.

"Stop playing with your tie Roy," Oliver said, making sure it was straight.

"I can't believe you dragged me to another one of these things."

"I need to be entertained somehow."

"My pain is funny to you?"

"Be happy no one expects you to make small talk about deals and foreign markets. You can just wander around and make nice with the other kids."

"I'm a teenager."

"I'm sorry my 13 year old ward. You're very mature and grown up."

"Besides all these kids are pretentious."

"You wouldn't know anything about that."

"Plus they don't want to talk to me."

"I don't even want to talk to you." Oliver laughed as he dodged Roy's foot. "Here, I the perfect solution is walking this way."

Roy frowned and looked where Oliver was. Bruce Wayne was approaching them with a small kid walking so close he was practically attached. Oliver stepped forward and shook Bruce's hand. The kid eyed Roy curiously.

"Oliver," Bruce said in greeting.

"Bruce. How's life?"

"The usual."

"You've met Roy, right?" he asked as he put his hand on the red-head's shoulder and pushed him forward.

"I do. Nice to see you again Roy."

"Nice to see you Mr. Wayne," Roy said politely, shaking the billionaire's hand.

"You finally let him out of the house?" Oliver asked, nodding at the boy.

"Oliver, this is Richard Grayson."

Ollie smiled and crouched down to the boy's eye level. He held out his hand. "Hi. I'm Oliver Queen. CEO of Queen Industries." He waited as the boy slowly set watched himself from Bruce. He held out his own hand and shook Oliver's. "Nice to meet you."

"Wayne! Queen!"

Bruce groaned internally. Oliver closed his eyes for a second and sighed. He stood up and composed his face. "Luthor," he said calmly.

Lex Luthor nodded to him. "Evening gentlemen."

Roy made a gagging sound. "Excuse me, I need to go vomit." He walked away and Oliver tried, unsuccessfully, not to laugh.

"You really ought to teach that kid some manners Queen," Luthor drawled. He took a sip of his wine.

"Oh you know teenagers Lex." Oliver put an arm around Luthor's shoulders. "You can't teach them anything. They think they know everything."

"Hm." He suddenly noticed the blue eyes staring at him from behind Bruce Wayne's legs. "What's that?"

"Luthor this is my ward, Richard Grayson," Bruce said, gently guiding the child from behind his legs. "Dick, this is Lex Luthor. He run a company called Lex Corp in Metropolis."

"So you're the gypsy brat Wayne took in. I have to say, it's better than the publicity stunt Queen pulled. At least yours isn't feral."

Dick pushed himself against Bruce's legs, while Bruce gave Luthor a look that had been known to cause the Joker to run the other way. He wasn't the only one. Oliver glared at the other businessman. "Listen up Luthor-" He didn't get any farther because Luthor suddenly stumbled forward, spilling his expensive wine on his shoes.

"Whoops," Roy said in a tone that implied he wasn't actually sorry. "My apologies."

Luthor scowled at him. "Again Queen, you need to teach this one some manners."

"He said he was sorry," Oliver replied, secretly pleased Roy had chosen to come back at that moment. Luthor scoffed and rolled his eyes.

"At least Wayne's charity case doesn't talk. Honestly, you should just drop him off the native orphanage you found him in."

Oliver took a step forward, about to punch Luthor. Luckily for Luthor a sudden camera flash grabbed his attention.

"Good evening gentlemen," Clark Kent said, flashing his press badge that had gotten him into the party. "Daily Planet. Mind if I get a few pictures?"

Oliver quickly composed himself. "Of course not Mr. Kent." He smiled in a way he hoped didn't make him look like a psycho who was about to strangle someone.

"Fantastic, thank you. Excuse me Mr. Luthor but I'd like to get an exclusive with the two new dads if you don't mind." Rather than wait for a reply he smiled at the boys. "Nice to see you two again. Would you come with me please?"

"Gladly," Roy said, following. He was surprised Bruce Wayne's tiny shadow went with them as well. Well he shouldn't have been that surprised. Clark was the kind of reporter that could put anyone at ease.

"Excuse us," Bruce said as he and Oliver followed.

"The nerves of him," Oliver muttered so only Bruce could hear. "I swear if Clark hadn't shown up-"

"I think that may have been why he chose that moment to appear."

"I should ask him why he's protecting a worm like Luthor."

"I don't think it's Luthor he's protecting. No matter how much money you have, murder is still illegal."

"I wasn't going to kill him. Just...punch his ignorant, pompous face in."

Bruce chuckled. "I can't say I wasn't tempted myself. Don't worry he'll get what's coming to him."

Oliver smiled deviously. "You're going to make sure he gets screwed over on your next business deal, aren't you?"

"Of course."

Roy was a little disappointed Clark had prevented Ollie from punching Luthor in the face. He glanced over at the kid next to him. He nudged him gently. "Ignore Luthor. He had his soul replaced with a black hole at birth." A corner of the kid's mouth twitched up. "I don't think they introduced us by the way. I'm Roy Harper."

"I'm Richard Grayson, but you can call me Dick," the kid replied.

"Nice to meet you Dick. After our interview you want to show Luthor why he should watch his manners?"

"I think Bruce would get mad if I hit someone."

"We aren't going to hit anyone. This is a classy event. We're going to put salt in his wine and spit in his food."

Dick smiled. "Sounds...fun."

Roy chuckled. Maybe this party wouldn't be as bad as the others.


End file.
